While the cell phone network is virtually non-existent, news continues to trickle out of Haiti by way of email. We are struck by the growing number of small acts of heroism as people struggle to cope with the enormity of the tragedy.
Etienne Francois, the agronomist/veterinarian sponsored by our church, opened up his home and property to refugees. He and his wife, Darlene, are now struggling to care for more than 30 refugee families. This has entailed several 200-mile round trips to Port-au-Prince to purchase food and supplies at exorbitant prices. He tells us his savings are gone.
L. J. Scott and his wife, Ruth of Reciprocal Ministries International were surprised by a gift of more than 8,200 pounds of relief food supplies delivered by Agape Flights. More than 150,000 refugees have flooded into Les Cayes, about 100 miles west of Port-au-Prince. RMI and other local organizations were quickly overwhelmed. Nearly everything had been depleted and things were looking pretty desperate. Apparently someone at Agape Flights got wind of the situation. Over a 2-day period, the planes made several trips via Florida and the Dominican Republic to drop off much needed supplies—at no cost!
Rod and Debbie Wray of Harvest International gratefully received new visitors in the form of Doctors Bill Tenhaaf and Jon Roberts, who showed up from Missouri and began doing surgeries at the local hospital. Since they arrived, several smaller relief groups have combined efforts and cleaned out old storage/work shop areas and converted them to hospital wards for recovering Haitian patients. In addition, Rod tells me that he and his people are setting up a refugee camp that will support up to 200 families.
But not all of the news is good. Some smaller relief agencies, overwhelmed to the point of breaking, have given up and are packing it in. Unfortunately many of these agencies operate on a thin margin. Crises like this one are causing some to collapse.
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